To buy something twice - Or just another story about service
My previous car was an Audi A4 TFSI bought new in 2009. A beautiful car. Not cheap but not crazy expensive either. During my ownership I felt like I bought the car twice. The well known oil consumption problem with 2.0 TFSI hit hard. I had to switch engine, renovate the new engine, renovate the automatic gearbox. Finally renovate the cooling system.
About a year ago I made a post about my Omega Constellation imported from Japan. It’s a model produced for the Japanese market in a rather short run in the 70s. The original post is available here. Moments before the photo shoot I dropped the watch. I made a short inspection but found it running alright. Noticeable in the photos I, a day later, found a crack in the bezel at 6. I was devastated!
What to do? I didn’t find any spare bezels on the webb. I contacted goldsmiths and watchmakers if they could weld the bezel for me. No success. I also read that these welded bezels wouldn’t last over time.
Omega didn’t accept delivering a bezel (if there where one) without a proper service. I decided to send in the watch for inspection. After a couple of weeks Omega came back with an offer including service and reproducing a new bezel. The cost was basically a new watch and the delivery time 6 month. I considered the option to get a new watch. But as always there is an uncertainty about what to get. I finally decided to bite the bullet and accept Omegas offer.
After 2 month of further delay the watch is back from Switzerland. With a custom made new bezel, serviced with a new chrystal and crown together with bits and pieces replaced. All replaced parts was brought back in a little plastic bag. I actually accepted to have the watch polished, I figured that Omega would do a great job with it. And they did! It’s back as good as new but bought twice.
I collect new as well as vintage. I have a weak spot for 50s and 60s Omegas. Besides from those I consider myself allround.
That is a dilemma - but I think you made the right choice. What else could you have done, really?
Presumably you'll be wearing this for the Stockholm Shenanigans this weekend?
That is a dilemma - but I think you made the right choice. What else could you have done, really?
Presumably you'll be wearing this for the Stockholm Shenanigans this weekend?
It was! Even if I only have had the watch for a short while it felt like my watch. So buy another donor wasn’t the final decision. And yes the Connie is on it’s way to Stockholm👍
Right choice imo, that is a gorgeous piece
Right choice imo, that is a gorgeous piece
Thank you! That is my feeling too. I value the experience to have something custom made as well.
Beautiful watch. You made the right decision, it's basically a new vintage Omega. Lovely 😍👍
talking about Audi/cars and bad luck... at the time you bought A4 i was driving the previous model, which i never had a real problem with. but than in 2011 some pyromaniac set it on fire and it was total trash. i got about 3/4 of the value back from the insurance.
a while later i bought a Mazda CX5 and it was stolen 6 weeks later. but at least the insurance paid.
now i'm working on my karma and i hope that was enough bad luck to not experience something watch-related like you did.
Beautiful watch. You made the right decision, it's basically a new vintage Omega. Lovely 😍👍
Thank you! And this as new thing puzzled me. When I received the watch Inthought the bezel looked too wide but soon realised that this is how it looked new in the 70s and my old bezel had been polished down.
talking about Audi/cars and bad luck... at the time you bought A4 i was driving the previous model, which i never had a real problem with. but than in 2011 some pyromaniac set it on fire and it was total trash. i got about 3/4 of the value back from the insurance.
a while later i bought a Mazda CX5 and it was stolen 6 weeks later. but at least the insurance paid.
now i'm working on my karma and i hope that was enough bad luck to not experience something watch-related like you did.
Oh, sorry to hear about your misfortune with cars🥺 I guess the only good thing about these incidents that the feeling of the pain fades and weekend up with a good story👍
I think it’s you (causing yourself to buy expensive items “twice”). 😆
Great decision to get the watch repaired by Omega! It looks wonderful! Well worth the money!
I think it’s you (causing yourself to buy expensive items “twice”). 😆
Great decision to get the watch repaired by Omega! It looks wonderful! Well worth the money!
Thank you! Yes I think the Omega route was correct👍
Painful but worth it it looks fantastic
Painful but worth it it looks fantastic
Thank you👍
Reminds me of "Trigger's broom" a scene from a very popular UK sitcom from the 80s (towards the end) - https://youtu.be/56yN2zHtofM?si=07RVuujMUklwmk9o
Reminds me of "Trigger's broom" a scene from a very popular UK sitcom from the 80s (towards the end) - https://youtu.be/56yN2zHtofM?si=07RVuujMUklwmk9o
Well spotted👍
Looks great!!! The struggle on sending a watch to service is real!!
For whatever it’s worth it is a beautiful watch.
Thank you🤝
Thank you! I can’t really take any credit for it. This cordovan came with the watch but it looks good.
Ah, go ahead, lie to us. Take the full-blown credit. Tell us you had it planned that way the entire time. 🤣!
Congrats! Gorgeous watch…well worth the investment. May you always enjoy it in good health!
Congrats, my friend! That is now a very special watch! Really your own I think. I had a similar experience (to a lesser degree) with a 90's Omega Seamaster. The bezel needed fixing. I found a local watchmaker who used to work for Omega in NYC. He fixed the bezel, regulated the movement to 0 sec, and even polished. At first, I was angry with the polish because I had not requested it. But once I looked at it, I felt it was the right thing to do. Now, I can leave my own scratches on it haha.
Thank you! And thank you for sharing👍
Congrats! Gorgeous watch…well worth the investment. May you always enjoy it in good health!
Thank you my friend👍
It's a beautiful watch, well done for restoring it! Enjoy!
Right call and you'll have a lifetime companion in that beautiful watch.
Nice my friend 👌and sorry for your miss fortune,on the bright side its good they were able to do that for you,and you wasn't stuck with a broken watch.im struggling getting glass replaced on a vintage seiko qt know one can get into it 🙄😂think I'm going to 🤞and hope seiko can do it,have been in touch and they didn't know the reference and said they might not be able to fix.
Nice my friend 👌and sorry for your miss fortune,on the bright side its good they were able to do that for you,and you wasn't stuck with a broken watch.im struggling getting glass replaced on a vintage seiko qt know one can get into it 🙄😂think I'm going to 🤞and hope seiko can do it,have been in touch and they didn't know the reference and said they might not be able to fix.
Thank you👍 As you say, it’s fantastic that Omega has the resources and knowledge to actually do replacement work. Best of luck in your search👍
Thank you👍 As you say, it’s fantastic that Omega has the resources and knowledge to actually do replacement work. Best of luck in your search👍
Thanks my friend 👌
Glad you got it back and all is well now, but wow, what a stroke of bad luck, I’m stunned that the bezel on an Omega cracked from a drop. 😱 I felt your devastation for you as I was reading it.
Glad you got it back and all is well now, but wow, what a stroke of bad luck, I’m stunned that the bezel on an Omega cracked from a drop. 😱 I felt your devastation for you as I was reading it.
Me too, if not as commenteded before, the bezel was welded once before I bought the watch.
Me too, if not as commenteded before, the bezel was welded once before I bought the watch.
Well enjoy it for life, you’ve earned it!
Really love the design aesthetic of this era, so many beautiful pieces
Great work guys!